Page 144 of A Beautiful Crime

Not to form an alliance but to kill me and take my throne when I’m vulnerable.

We should’ve seen it. At the least, I should have.

This is the same old Savio Fiore at play. A man who is known for nothing but tricks and illusions.

And I was too concerned with finally making Carina mine to see behind the curtain.

It is a mistake on my part as much as it is my men.

But it is a mistake I will never be sorry for.

How can it be when I finally have the woman of my obsession by my side?

“Savio and his tricks,” Pietro spits. “I do hope you allow me to partake in the fun of ending his life.”

Gino adds darkly, “Only after I’ve had my fun with the scum of a man.”

Flicking her merlot polished nails she tells them, “As long as Luca is mine to kill I don’t care who has their fun with Savio.”

Pietro turns chipper. It really doesn’t take much to please the man. So much like a child. “Grazie, Donna. Acting under your rule is already proving to be promising.”

She simply smiles in return at his antics while the rest of us ignore him.

The man will get over it.

“And when will you be most distracted by her, Constantine?” Rico asks in a knowing tone.

As do I.

When she’s wearing white and walking down an aisle with the longest train behind her that Royals would envy. When I take her hand in mine and vow before her.

The wedding would be the perfect time to strike.

“The wedding,” I answer and Rico nods his head.

“That’s why Savio was so upset and frustrated by the fact that you wanted to hold the wedding off for a few months. You decelerated his plans,” Pietro says.

I nod my head. Draping my arm over Carina’s chest I draw her flush against me. Dipping my head I breathe in the scent of cherries. And while I want nothing more than to drain all the blood of Savio and Luca for even thinking about crossing me the scent of amore mia soothes me.

She rests her head back against my chest. With a tentative voice she asks me, “What are you thinking mio cuore?”

“I’m thinking our wedding was never intended to be a white one, but a red one.”

CHAPTER 31

Carina

Ihave always known Luca’s ambition to be great but I never once thought his ambition would lead him to foolishness.

Because make no mistake, secretly plotting with the Irish Mob to not only overtake the throne, but to also kill Constantine Donati is not just foolish, it’s certifiably insane.

And for Savio to allow this he must be just as mad.

But Savio has always been governed by his greed. He’ll do whatever it takes to claim his spot at the very top. Tricks and manipulations are in his already known arsenal. Playing nice with The Irish Mob is only a new tactic.

Pietro and Rico left the office shortly after the phone call from Gino had ended.

Constantine gave out his orders and they all followed without question.

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